Avatar: The Benders of the Light
by Eternal Ending
Summary: Zuko decides to follow a lead which could lead him to his mother. He discovers a secret older than Bending itself.Meanwhile, rebellions pop up in the wake of the Fire Lord's dissappearence. Can the Gang overcome the odds once again?
1. Prologue: A Love Long Lost

**Avatar: The Benders of the Light**

**Prologue: A Love Long Lost**

**Summary: A little after a month after Zuko became Fire Lord, he decides to follow a lead which could lead him to the last hole in his now perfected life: His mother. He discovers he has bitten off more than he can chew when he stumbles upon a secret older than Bending. Meanwhile, rebellions pop up in the wake of the Fire Lord's dissappearence. Surrounded on two ends by enemies, can the Gang overcome the odds once again?**

**Disclaimer: I barely own the computer I am writing this on, you really think I own a multi million dollar TV Show? Yeah...right...Keep dreaming.**

**}- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- **

Zuko stared down his father, the man who raised him. The same one he had once wanted to gain's respect. Now he sat, hunched over, crippled and hollow in his cell. In the same prison, somewhere, his sister was throwing fits of rage. He wanted to leave, but he needed to know where the only person in his direct family whom still held a place in his heart was.

Ozai's mouth and eyes were locked into a scowl. "Why should I tell you? You usurped my thrown and had me put in prison."

"Because at one time, our family was happy. Because you used to love her. And because if you don't, you'll be spending the rest of your life in here and never even have a chance to smell fresh air again." Zuko tried to keep his voice even. Ever since he decided to join Aang, he'd been slowly learning to control his temper from the young, level-headed monk. He was surprised at just how good of a teacher the almost-thirteen-year-old could be. Still, a few months teaching was not quite enough to keep smoke from sizzling from his knuckles.

Ozai kept silent, trying to gauge how serious his son was. Moments passed and neither spoke, just tried to stare the other down.

Finally, Zuko lost it. He slammed his fist against the concrete wall, a wave of fire raising the room's temperature several degrees and slightly singeing the ex-firelord's frayed prison robes. "Do you think this is some sort of game?" Zuko shouted. "You've toyed with me all my life and even when I have the upper hand finally, you insist on still playing me like a fool. You have nothing to lose, father, only to gain. Tell me."

Ozai simply stared at his son. His hands dipped into his robes and he pulled out something Zuko had never seen before: a small, tarnished gold key. He churned it over in his palm once and then deposited it onto the floor, scooting it out of his cell.

Zuko leaned over and picked it up. It was surprisingly cold and had an ornate snake-like phoenix rising up its length. The head had one golden eye, which almost seemed to spark with life as he stared into it. "What on earth is this?" Zuko demanded, but his father didn't answer. Instead, his eyes were out of focus, caught in a haze Zuko had never seen on the elder's heavily-chiseled face. There was something of sadness in them and he seemed to have doubled in age within moments.

"Go." He said in a cool tone. Zuko knew that voice. It was the same, stern one the elder used many times when Zuko was growing up. What that one word really meant was "Go now or I am going to set your hair on fire, you impudent brat." It was so demanding, a part of Zuko was ready to listen to his father and leave. Now. But he needed a real answer.

Minutes went by, almost an hour, and still Ozai refused to say any more. He had even turned his back, refusing to face Zuko no matter what hissy fit the boy threw. Finally, Zuko realized without a doubt he would get no more from his father. Perhaps the real reason, the one Zuko in his remaining, pristine image of his father didn't seem to understand, was that the other was crying in his cell. Maybe not hard, rabid sobs, but just pure tears falling from amber eyes.

No one could ever know just how he really was. The real reason he was ready to take over the world. A truth, a terrible crippling secret which burned in his gut every day, every time he looked in the mirror.

What really happened to Fire Lady Ursa…

**}- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }-**

**Please tell me what you think. Is it worth your time or is it crap? I hate not having imput, so even a two word comment goes a long way!**


	2. Chapter one: The old and the new

**Avatar: The Benders of the Light**

**Chapter one: The old and the new**

**Disclaimer: I barely own the computer I am writing this on, you really think I own a multi million dollar TV Show? Yeah...right...Keep dreaming.**

**}- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- **

}- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }-

For the next few days, Zuko couldn't keep the key from his mind despite how hectic things were. The cities were all attempting to heal themselves of the damage caused by the war. Fire Lord Zuko, of course, was lending much needed support to the Northern Water Tribe along with many of the revenged Earth Kingdom. Suspicion seemed to cloud the mind of many of the other leaders, not inclined to trust the biological son of the man they once hated. And there were rebels, people whom the news that the war was over had not yet reached or if it had, they chose not to believe or accept Zuko as their new leader. It was enough to give him a massive headache nearly every night; one even with the aid of Water Tribe Healers he couldn't quite get rid of. Not even Mai's delicate hands could rub it out.

And then of course was the important event happening; for which almost every nation was abuzz trying to get crammed into the walls of Ba Sing Se to be at. Avatar Aang was now about to turn thirteen. Despite Aang's insitance that he didn't want a big party; that in the Air Nomad culture, birthdays were not celebrated, the rest of the world heartily disagreed. They all wanted to celebrate the day the World's Greatest Hero, the Avatar, was born.

People flocked to Ba Sing Se, to the point where the entire city was ten times more crowded. Thousands of people brought ornate gifts from far away, many of which seemed so rich and delicate Aang was almost shy to even consider accepting. But it was rude not to. Aang pulled Zuko aside nervously after a hearty breakfast and the first hundred and twenty five birthday gifts and insisted many of the richer ones be resold to raise money for the fallen cities around the world.

That afternoon was when the majority of the festivities commenced. Thousands poured onto the streets, wearing masks and tossing food between the people. At the local theater, a much revised performance of "The Boy in the Iceberg"(like not even the same actors type of revised) was playing and the auditorium was jam packed. Aang couldn't go far on land without being serenaded with "Happy Birthdays" and a few new songs being sung by local artists in his honor.

In fact, despite the fact that it was Aang's birthday, all of them couldn't go too far without being smothered by people bowing and chattering and even for a few patting them on the back. Of course, no one would risk it with the new Fire Lord, but Aang, Sokka, Katara, Suki, and Toph were all long-standing heroes. Zuko had to admit, it was a great time. As little as he often liked big loud, noisy parties, somehow, with Mai and his friends and uncle by his side, it was almost tolerable.

Finally, as they all sat on the steps, a great big cake came from out of the crowd. People cleared the way, eyeing the marvelous baked good. It was made of all four symbols of the elements, with elaborate pictures engrained within each symbol. The Fire Nation's had a great big dragon locking claws with an elegant phoenix over a volcano. The Water Tribe's had a glowing silver moon and a She-ka-Nami Whale jumping out of the ice as if it were water. The Earth Kingdom's was a badgermole deep underground within a catacomb of glowing green crystals. The Air Nomads was a flying bison and flying lemur soaring over a fairly-accurate depiction of the Western Air Temple.

It looked almost too beautiful to eat; well, at least it did to Zuko. Apparently it didn't to Momo. Within a second, before anyone could stop him,Momo jumped into it head first, destroying the depiction of the Water Nation before swimming around in it and popping out in the Air Nomad's. After that, a very cake-smothered Momo landed gracefully on Aang's arm and nuzzled his face affectionately. Of course, Aang's robes and face were soon covered in cake from the lemur and he started laughing loudly. Most people also thought it was hilarious, although no one except those weird guys who wore loin cloths and bended plants plus the cooky King Bummy ate the cake after that.

They all settled on a few small pastries and Aang, who seemed a little glad to have a reason to leave the party, bid them adue to go clean himself and his lemur. Somehow, he made that last for long enough to bore the party guests and they all went off to do their own thing. Taking the his initiative, the little group of close friends retired to Uncle Iroh's spacious apartment above his teashop.

Sure enough, Appa was outside on the steps, cleaning himself after having a basket of fruit Aang had gotten as a gift and Aang was on the floor inside, playing contently with Momo while Uncle Iroh played a game on the table. Seeing his friends, he gave them a smile and greeted them before continuing his playing. Zuko and the others all changed, none of them truly liked wearing the really fancy stuff; Toph in particular. Zuko let his hair down, preferring the looser style amongst his friends.

The day ended with Zuko and the gang critiquing Sokka's painting of all of them; his birthday gift to Aang he told Zuko after the young monk left the room to go outside. Katara followed and Zuko knew enough to turn away from the door. The younger boy had expressed to Zuko a while back that his emotions for Katara were not plutonic, and though he'd never asked her about it for fear of getting the water-whipping of a lifetime, Zuko suspected Katara felt similar.

Zuko meandered out of the room, sprawling out on the bed Iroh kept here just for him. His hands almost automatically found their way to the key kept in his pocket. He rolled it around in his hand, wishing he had some sort of clue about what it meant.

The fire insignia was on the wall of his room; something that could never have happened a mere month ago. Separated on the opposite wall were his Dual Dao Swords, unhooked from one another to form a cross. His crown was on a small table; the same one, as it was, that Avatar Roku, Zuko's great-grandfather had been given by his best friend, Zuko's other great-grandfather Sozin. Next to this was a new framed-depiction of his mother as he remembered her. He had a very talented artist paint it from his memory. Also on the desk was a small shell, a token he had gotten from his mother one of the last times he had seen her. He had been forced to leave it behind, swearing he would come back for it one day. When his father banished him, he had barely let him leave with the cloths on his back. Him and Iroh had even fought; for while Ozai disrespected his brother, he didn't want Iroh to leave with his son. Maybe it was meant to be a further punishment or maybe he didn't want Iroh to influence him. But Iroh had left with Zuko. And he had greatly influence Zuko, although he might have been too much of a bonehead at first to see the wisdom in his mentor.

All of these items were a part of who he was; the ones he treasured most. Pieces of his soul embodied into artifacts. None of them seemed to weigh as much in his mind as this key though. He wondered for the first time how his father had seemed to fall so far so fast. Zuko could remember a time when he was little, before he even started learning how to bend, when they would go to Ember Island and pretend to be just like everyone else. He remembered how close his parents had seemed, how they would orient themselves around one another, kiss, caress tenderly. Mere years later, they seemed like acquaintances, never kissing or touching or even throwing a smile one another's way.

But there were moments when Ozai seemed almost conflicted, as if he wanted his wife still. Moments where he would almost try to slip her hand in his, but would harden and decide better of it. She always seemed so sad afterwards, like he had just slapped her. And Zuko faintly wondered if he had. If his father had ever hit his mother. When he was younger, he wouldn't have understood. But what about now, when he had seen so much more of the world. He'd experienced the grit and grime and dirt of the world first hand. He wasn't a sheltered ruler; Zuko still had a habit of being out there with the people. Walking places rather than being carried as his sister or father had insisted upon. He didn't feel entitled; he'd had to fight all of his life for what he wanted. Not having to anymore was weird; so he almost manufactured strife for himself.

"Lot on your mind, Zuko?" Iroh's gentle voice graced his ears. Zuko snapped his head toward the person he saw as his real father now. The man who really raised him and watched out for him and loved him as he would his own. Maybe Zuko was a substitute for his cousin, but that didn't make Iroh's love for him any lesser.

"Have you ever seen this before?" Zuko asked, staring once more into the phoenix's eye. It sparked again; how on earth was it doing that?

Iroh paced into the room, his eyebrows scrunched. He took the key from Zuko and examined it. "I'm afraid I haven't, nephew. Where did you get it?"

"From my father." Iroh's lips tightened. "That day I was gone after the ceremony? I went to his cell and visited him. I asked him…about my mom. I want to know where she is, Uncle. I want her back."

"Zuko, I am not sure I would trust anything my brother gave to you. At the very least, don't obsess over it. I'm sure we will find her. But until then, come," Iroh cuffed his back. "Your friends are asking about you. Apparently they are in a bit of a…dispute."

That's when he heard the shatter of glass. Both men rushed into the living room to find a highly red-faced Katara and a scowling Sokka both snarling at each other. Somewhat cowering behind her was Aang. Toph seemed to be fighting hysterical laughter, Suki was holding Sokka back, and Mai looked like she was caught between being extremely lost and extremely bored with it all. On the table was a shattered tea cup, destroyed when Katara's temper flared and the tea inside went crazy. To top it all off, Momo was flying around like a manic and Appa was grumbling at Aang's distress.

"What in the name of…." Was all Zuko could say. Iroh seemed to be mourning the loss of his tea cup and was caught between not wanting to get between the two crazy teens and the desire to remove the rest of them before they suffered the same fate. Zuko turned to Mai, who had come to his side in all the chaos wordlessly.

"Can we go now?" She said in a bored voice.

"What happened?" Mai shrugged.

"I don't know, something about Aang kissing Katara." Zuko looked both impressed and surprised. Of course, that explained why the world's savior was now covering behind a woman. Sokka was not happy about a guy, especially one he knew, having his hands all over his sister.

"Avatar or not, you're not to touch my sister." Sokka hissed at Aang, who seemed to shrink even more than his regularly short stature.

"You don't decide who I kiss, Sokka. It was just a kiss for God's sake. It's not like you're going to be an uncle." Katara's voice rose the way it always did when beyond angry. Sokka seemed to lose his tongue. Katara always knew what to say to shut him up. "Really Sokka, I've watched you kiss Yue and Suki and Masa and I've only ever kissed two guys."

Suki raised her eyebrow at this and pulled a now struggling Sokka toward her to face her. "Who's Masa?"

"No one." Sokka said quickly. Too quickly.

"His girlfriend from the Northern Water tribe."

"It was ten days!"

"But you kissed her."

Suki looked a bit outraged. She obviously thought she knew everyone Sokka had ever locked lips with, yet he failed to mention this Masa. Sokka was now the one who looked slightly afraid. After all, having a Kyoshi warrior for a girl friend, well, while it had perks, there were even more possibly painful even drawbacks. One was that she was nimble enough to kick his butt if she wanted to. And based on her expression, at the moment she wanted to.

"Listen, Sokka," Aang said, trying to defuse the situation. "I'm sorry about kissing her, but it kind of happened. I always thought you knew I liked her and well…"

"Wait, you liked Katara before this?" Zuko slapped his hand to his face.

"Dude, are you serious? I wasn't even in your group and only ever saw you guys when I was trying to capture you and even I knew."

"Well, you were looking for something you could use against Aang." Sokka said defensively, crossing his arm.

"That's pretty sad, Ponytail." Toph chortled.

"You knew too?"

"Yes, oh observant one. Why do you think Katara could teach him so easy."

"Great! Anything else I should know that I am obviously too oblivious to pick up on!" Sokka threw his arms up over his head dramatically.

"Well, the sky is blue." Mai replied, bored.

"You even knew!"

"Sokka, we've already established everyone knew but you. Could we move on? I still need to know about this Masa." Suki said reasonably. She dragged him out of the room, clearly intent on having a long chat with her boyfriend.

"Aang, could I talk to you for a moment?" Zuko said after the two were out of earshot. "Alone?"

"Sure, Zuko." Aang still looked semi-nervous, like Sokka was going to come and own him but seemed to loosen up once he and Zuko were outside, away from prying ears.

Zuko was quite for a long moment, wondering if he asking Aang such a thing would even make any sense, but he was the Avatar. Maybe there was something he could earn from asking…

"I have a lead on my mom." Zuko said softly, looking at the growing dark line where the sun had recently disappeared from the sky.

"Really? That's great!" Aang replied, that usual chipper tone that sometimes, in particular now, drove Zuko insane. "What did you find?" He prodded after Zuko didn't reply for a moment.

"I was wondering, do you know anything about this?" He asked, placing the key in his ex-archenemies' hand. It tingled as it left his finger prints and Zuko vaguely wanted it back the moment he gave it away.

Aang looked at it, his face looking a little pale. "W-where did you get this?"

Zuko hesitated. "My father…he's the only one who knew anything and well, she saved my life when I was little, probably more than once."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Uncle was supposed to have the throne, but after his son died, Dad thought he might be able to convince Grandpa to give the throne to him over Iroh. He asked him and Grandpa was outraged. Azula came to my room later and told me Dad was going to kill me. She said Grandpa told Dad that for suggesting he betray his first born so soon after Lu Ten died, Dad had to feel the pain of losing a first born son. I don't know exactly what Mom did still, but the next day, Azulon was dead and supposedly he decreed his second son succeed him. Mom was banished…" Zuko's eyes were burning. The most sensitive spot for him had always been his mother and not knowing what happened to her killed him.

"Zuko, this key is bad. I don't know exactly what it is, but it's surrounded in a powerful, ancient energy. Whatever your father was doing with it can't be good. Let me meditate for a while. I'll see if Avatar Roku knows anything about it." Zuko nodded as his younger plopped down to the floor and closed his eyes, his legs crossed. Zuko too took the time to meditate. He wondered faintly if he too could get in touch with Avatar Roku. After all, Aang was the embodiment of the Avatar spirit but Zuko was blood.

He focused his thoughts on his breathing, pulling air in and then out. He could feel sources of fire around him fluctuating with each breath. Slowly, as if pulled to him by some mystical force, he saw a light. He willed himself to be engulfed by it. Before he knew it, he was standing up, without his body. His body was opaque, glistening blue. He looked over and saw Aang's body and Aang's spirit, who was looking at him like he just jumped into Appa's mouth.

"You…you came with me?"

Zuko shrugged. "You aren't the only one who could access the spirit world. Uncle did once, although I suspect it was easier for me because you were here."

But neither boy had much time to speak. There were great thuds and both boys looked up to see a dragon floating above them. Perched on its neck was someone Zuko could only assume was his great-great grandfather. So he did the first thing that came natural to him. The Fire Lord bowed, his knee on the floor and his head hovering just above that.

Avatar Roku jumped from his dragon, Fang, and circled the young man. "You have the royal family eyes, my child. Sharp. But you have your mother's face. Ta Min's face." Roku pursed his lips in his critical examination of his young heir. Aang, who put two and two together, was staring at Zuko with a new found look of shock. "You have all that you have desired for so long. Yet you still lack the thing that you've wanted most. Rise, Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko stood, looking Roku in the eye. He was just a bit shorter than the other man. Zuko suddenly found himself examining Roku as critically as Roku examined him. Seeing the similarities and differences. His hair seemed to be the same texture, the same thickness. His hands were like looking in a mirror of age. He even noted the arch of Roku's eye brows was the same as his sister, although his were much bushier.

"You've both called me here. What is it you wished to commune with me?" Roku asked at long last, turning his attentions to Aang.

Aang reached down toward his form, trying in vain to pull out the key. But not only was his hand passing through everything, but as he continued his search for it, Zuko realized he had had it in his hand all this time. He looked at it sharply. "Ummm…Aang?"

For despite the fact that he was a spirit, it was still solid and firmly in his hand. Everything else passed through it. Both boys seemed a bit weirded out, but Roku was frowning considerably at it. "I had hoped it had been destroyed in the war." The elder man stared down at it as if it were the devil incarnate.

"What is it?" Aang asked innocently.

"That is the key of hiou. It opens a door that guards a secret. Through the long, dangerous passage is the way to the Forbidden Lands. That cursed key has been leading people there for centuries. There are seven ways to enter the labyrinth. Each spread throughout the world. From what I understand, most have been destroyed by leaders desperate to stop people vanishing. For they would enter then most would die horrible deaths. The few who survived would regale the stories and then go mad slowly. There were only two passages remaining when I was alive. One was through the Earth Kingdom, bellow Ba Sing Se's crystal catacombs. The other was in the Fire Nation Capital."

Zuko's heart plummeted. He knew now why his father had given him this key. "There's only one passage now." Both looked at him with interest. "That's what this was all about. Mom didn't simply get banished from the Fire Nation. She got banished from this world."

**}- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }-**

**Please tell me what you think. Cookies for long reviews!**

**Next: Zuko now knows what the key is for, but is the reward worth the risk?**


	3. Chapter two: A Guest along for the ride

**Avatar: The Benders of the Light**

**Chapter two: A Guest along for the ride**

**Disclaimer: I barely own the computer I am writing this on, you really think I own a multi million dollar TV Show? Yeah...right...Keep dreaming.**

**}- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- **

Zuko caught Roku and Aang up on everything that he knew about his mom's disappearance. For while roaming the world, he also frequently asked if anyone had seen her. And while he had by no means seen every town that there was to see, with the amount of ground he covered, you'd expect someone would know something. But that wasn't the case. Not a single person had ever seen his mother. That seemed a bit strange, but he had nothing to go on to pursue it further. Other than the idea she might be dead, which he simply couldn't handle. He preferred to think of her, out there somewhere, thinking of him. And now he had renewed hope kindling within him. Yet it was also unlikely she had made it, but don't try and tell him that.

When he had finished, he was surprised to find that both Roku and Aang didn't look nearly as upbeat as he felt. "Zuko, I know what you're thinking but you can't go." Aang declared.

"Why not?"

"Because, my dear one, you are being set up." Roku replied. "Think about it. Your father simply gives you the key to getting to your mother? He wants you to die in that tunnel. Or never return. They are once again using your love and desperation to be loved in return against you."

"But what if he's telling the truth? What if my mom really is down there?"

"Either way, Zuko, would be accomplishing what he wants to." Aang reasoned. Zuko rolled his eyes.

"You didn't see how he looked at me when he handed me this." Zuko turned away from both of them. "I've never seen my dad look regretful. Not about anything. And it wasn't that fake look he gave a few Fire Nation villagers, that feigned regret. It was real; I'm sure of it."

"Listen, Zuko," Aang started, "something about this whole thing…it's just not…not right."

"Aang is right Zuko." Roku went to face him. "We will find my granddaughter. Just not like this. Promise me you won't go doing something stupid."

Zuko looked him in the eyes, evening his tone to the same one he'd always used to deceive his father. "I promise."

**}- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }-**

Back in the physical world, Zuko left the balcony before Aang could wake up. Roku had wanted to further talk with the young Avatar, so Zuko had left them to do so in peace. Zuko eyed the key in his palm as he walked; it seemed to beckon him. This was his only chance to reach his mother, he knew it deep down in his soul. Even if Ozai was simply trying to trick him so he would get lost, he had to try. His father had never beaten him before. Not even when he was banished. He never gave up and for that determination and resilience he had been rewarded.

Which was why he figured why stop now? Life as the Fire Lord didn't suit him; not as he thought it would. People were already giving him strange looks; they were certain their new ruler was out of his mind for preferring humility to the extravagance of the palace. Since he'd become ruler, he'd spent much more time out of the palace than in it. And while the Fire Nation had always been notorious for leaders who mingled among the people, they always had a purpose. Visit a temple, return to the Capital. Catch a fugitive, return to the capital. Lead a battle, return. They didn't go out and hang with friends countries away the way Zuko had with Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Suki. They didn't help build houses or go in disguise in bars. They didn't live for the simple sake of living.

Zuko's heart seemed to have spread to every single one of his limbs at once. He knew what he had to do, before any of the others could stop him. He clutched the key in his hand hard, the vivid glowing link between him and his mother. Throwing on a hood to conceal his face and packing a few essentials in a sack, he slipped out of the apartment as dusk sunk in on the city.

Outside, his nerves were set on edge. Sharp, the way they hadn't been since he was on the run. He noticed the slight waft cool night air, like fingers belonging to some unseen being. Trash cans moved of to his side, but he paid no heed. He could sense the heat of a small mammal nearby and the soft kur-thump of the electric pulses its heart gave off, a trick he learned from his uncle only recently. It was likely only a mere alley cat. A few lights flickered as he passed, drawn to his presence. On one side, an Earth Kingdom servant went to draw the curtains and jumped as she saw Zuko; it must be uncommon for people to wander the streets this late. At least in the upper ring.

Still, no one stopped him as he approached the Palace of Ba Sing Se's torch lit halls. The passage to the catacombs could be a little bit of a problem. Zuko only knew the earth-bending way down. Which was an obvious problem. From what he knew of the Earth Kingdom, they valued their non-benders almost as much as their benders. There were many famous people who couldn't move a speck of dirt. Wouldn't such people be allowed to enter the catacombs?

He spied the exit where he had come down before. Between two pillars, pure black marble with a small engraving etched. It was the symbol of the Earth Kingdom. A sign for how unmoving and unbending the great nation was. He leaned over to scratch some stubborn dust from its surface and was surprised to find it caved in at his touch. Both pillars instantly began to tremble and a dark staircase opened in both. He wondered if there was any difference in which one he took. If he took the wrong passage, he would never get back. Aang and the rest of the gang would not be too long in catching up with him. He could already be coming even. Curse his ability to fly and run so damn fast!

He randomly chose the one off to his right and lit a small ember in his hand for light. And then he descended into the haunting memories and empty halls of the Ba Sing Se Catacombs. He was semi-startled went the chamber shut behind him with a bang. He stoked his flame and thanked the spirits he wasn't claustrophobic like Azula sometimes got. Dark plus small spaces terrified the young girl, probably one of the only things.

It started when she was little, he remembered. She got trapped in a deep, dry well on a hilltop when she was four. They had been playing hide and go seek and she wasn't skilled yet at bending. In fact, she was unable to sustain a flame. Zuko didn't realize anything was wrong for hours, having assumed the poor sport knew she lost and had gone home. When they finally found her as night set in, she was cold and wide eyed. She wouldn't go to sleep that night without a small light and also wouldn't sleep with the curtains around her bed down. She'd immediately made it clear fully blamed Zuko, believing he had purposefully known she was down there and left her there. It created a certain bitterness in her toward her elder. It was the driving reason behind every heinous thing she did to him after. Two things resulted from that day. She began to truly trust no one. Everyone around her were just tools, not other people. It also fueled her ambition to become the deadly human being she was today. Azula hated having a weakness. She strived for perfection afterwards, even honing her athleticism. Zuko was forced to learn his own skills to keep her in check, but he could never match her determined, even crazed power From that day on, she rapidly learned firebending, catching up to Zuko and then surpassing him, to her delight. She even, he could tell from her manner, believed she was better than their father before losing his bending.

That was the day his sweet little sister became a cold calculating killer. But not the day his father lost all warmth in his eyes. No, that had come at a much later date. Zuko suspected there was more to his story just as there was to his sister.

Zuko suddenly felt bad for his family. They had almost all been handed awful hands, even if no one saw how imperfect they were. It was a family thing, he guessed. Hiding behind a perfect image and power. He could imagine his sister right now, her old fears resurfacing. Mentally he made a note to see if some sort of non-fire light could be provided for her. He might hate her, but he wasn't cruel.

He continued down the passage for what seemed like hours, but couldn't have been too long. If it had, surly Aang would have caught him by now? Unless he picked the opposite route, but even still, they had all of the elements on their side while Zuko only had one.

He did, however, make it to the chamber of green crystals without much problem. He'd chosen right. There were lights on the wall, refracted by the shards to light everything. He touched the wall, remembering how he had first spoken to Katara in a friendly context in this room. He could almost hear the ghosts of the words they exchanged. He could also hear Azula, taunting him callously. There were the same two chambers ahead of him, almost mocking. He took the left one, just as before, and in short order, he was staring into the place where he had made a decision that had ended in Aang almost dying. He couldn't imagine that he had been so willing to accept. Aang was one of his closest friends now, which is why a nagging feeling in his gut wanted the young Avatar to find him before he could find the entrance to the outlands.

"Going somewhere, nephew?" Zuko almost wet himself. Iroh was standing there on the opposite side of the room, looking like a stern but fair father. But Zuko felt a familiar anger bubbling up.

"You knew. You knew and you didn't tell me?" He tried to keep his voice even but he failed miserably.

"Yes, I did know, Zuko. I just didn't want you attempting what you are trying to do." He answered reasonably.

"You don't have any right to tell me what I can and cannot do!" Zuko knew full well that wasn't true.

"Zuko, I know you want your mother back. I just don't know if you will like what you find." Iroh gave a deep sigh. "Finding your mother might not make you as happy and carefree as you think. That's what I want you to understand."

"I don't want to be happy or carefree. I just want to know what really happened to her. Once and for all." The unknown had always been one of Zuko's fears. He didn't like mysteries. It either was or it wasn't was his attitude.

Iroh slowly nodded. "Well, if that is what you want." Zuko suddenly noticed he, too, was wearing a sack full of stuff, which he was currently adjusting. Somehow, the thought that his uncle was coming was very highly reassuring. Zuko didn't protest, instead he asked his uncle if he knew where they needed to go next.

Iroh smiled. "I've been there before, actually. Once. Though I never went in. Your father has the only Fire Nation key. He made sure of that."

"How did you get down here?" Zuko asked, impressed.

"It was a new ploy we were using. We stumbled upon the Catacombs by accident, a bomb that went off. We believed there was another exit, so I sent a scout in to explore them. The entrance is…less than conspicuous. I dare say it scared the young man into early retirement." As Zuko followed his uncle, he could only wonder what he meant by that.

But he didn't have to wonder for long.

A sheer, green facet of a massive crystal suddenly blocked their way. Embedded in the crystal was a massive lithe dragon, its black eyes stuck in a lifeless stare. A gryphon reared at its face, as if the duo were locked in a winnerless fight for all eternity. As were, on the opposite side, an Earth-Saber and a Polar bear-tiger. All were extinct predator species of the four nations, so it was marvelous to see them alive…. and terrifying as well. Etched into the stone in strange, glowing gold script were words foreign to Zuko's eyes, despite him being well learned in over 30 languages from his youth.

Φίλοι γίνονται εχθροί και σκοτώνουν το ένα το άλλο

Οδηγείται τρελός από τις προσπάθειες τους για να ανακαλύψουν

Αυτό που κρύβεται πίσω από το Φοίνιξ και το τριαντάφυλλο

"What does it say?" Zuko mused allowed.

"I had never seen any language like it until I saw this the first time." Iroh answered. "Afterwards it near drove me insane trying to learn what language it was even. There is no record of it, not even in the spirit world."

Zuko sighed. This was the most Iroh would ever tell him of the spirit world. A random reference, made for little more than a second. If he dared ask anything about it, Iroh always refused to tell him. He guessed, correctly, that Iroh's visit to the spirit world was one of the defining moments of the elder man's life.

Zuko shook off the old curiosity. Perhaps one day, Uncle would confide in Zuko the way Zuko had always confided in him. He eyed the sheer plate of green crystal. There was a spot, more opaque than the rest, with a key hole in the center. In his pocket, the key seemed to grow cold straight through his pants, he yanked it out and found he needed to steam his hands to hold it without being seared. He approached the door, key outstretched.

That was when he saw the life sparkle in the phoenix's eye again. Only this time, the little serpentine model began to move. It snaked its way to the base of the key and then plunged off into the air, snapping its little medal wings open. The little phoenix flew full force into the key hole and did not reappear. The wall shuttered and Zuko swore he could see all those little beady eyes locked on him. The door pushed open.

He looked down and found the key had fallen from his palm. When he went to pick it up, it transformed into a phoenix, like the one he'd had before, and snapped at his hands. Its little claws drew a smidgen of blood and Zuko cussed under his breath as it scurried away.

Whatever. What he had come here for was ready and good to go. So who cared about some little demonic key?

He turned to his uncle, who was looking impressively at the dark hole in front of them. Iroh gave Zuko a low, encouraging nod and the two started down the dark passage.

**}- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- }- **

**Alright, so I don't have the time or energy to even consider making a new language for a fan fiction. The etchings Zuko and Iroh found are Greek, quite literally. No, this is not a drag them to Earth scenario. Here is the etchings translated, something Zuko and Iroh will never hear. Perhaps if they had, they might have turned back or trod more cautiously…**

**Friends become enemies and kill one another**

**Driven mad from their attempts to discover**

**That which hides behind the Phoenix and the rose**

**Next: Zuko and Iroh explore the caverns, but injury is bound to happen in such a place...**


End file.
